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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. drill — army training
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. drill — the tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. club — for dancing
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. club — a group
  11. bore — to tire
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. scale — size or range
  14. plane — a tool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. club — for golf
  17. bore — to drill
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. drill — a practice
  22. scale — in music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. trunk — of an elephant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com